Monday, July 1, 2013

Chess Played at 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2013

If you haven't got enough of Olympic, here another multi sports event. The Asian countries have organized a new set of specific sports and put it together as Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games (AIMAG). Basically there are indoor sports with something more Asian cultured games rather than Western's (think basketball or golf...). So we are able to see something like Kickboxing, Muay or Kabaddi . Then we have Oriental games such as Go, and of course along that Chess. In an eyebrow rising event, there also exists electronic games, included are FIFA 2013, Starcraft, Tekken 3, Need For Speed and so on. There also dance sports. So, by far the categories are still vogue, but I bet the Asian going to work this way out in the future.

This year is Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games go to their 4th cycle, the host is
Incheon, South Korea. Our main interest in chess event. According to Wikipedia, there going to be four medals in chess:

This format are popular in Asia, mimic the format on badminton, and table tennis for that mixed team category. In Men's, we have Le Quang Liem and Ding Liren , two above 2700+ FIDE Rated, so no kidding on this one. After three rounds seems like the turmoil of warming up still there for Le.

4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2013, Incheon South Korea
Top 10 Final Result round 7

While Viswanathan Anand obviously would go to Asian Indoor Games, two former FIDE Female Chess Champion, Hou Yifan and Zhu Chen duly present China and Qatar federation. In fact, chess in AIMAG lack of Indian players, (notes: AOI federation is present). This would make China federation without much countering power, except for Vietnam maybe.

4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2013, Incheon South Korea
Top 10 Result Final round 7 - Women's

Hou Yifan had no problem along her three games. Her strongest opponent by far was Indonesia's WGM Irine K. Sukandar. Playing in Closed Sicilian defence, Irine never cracked the opening. At move 12...Nxf3 she follow aggresive Knight manuever but risk open up a files for rook for a compensation of two isolated and double up pawns on white side. The challenge was never too much for white, but successful in forcing the game into Knight vs Bishop endgames. In a difficult endgame, Irine failed to defence and let white's stronger pawn in the King's side to advance.